


Autumn Regrets

by allyndra



Category: High School Musical
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-13
Updated: 2009-12-13
Packaged: 2017-10-04 10:04:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allyndra/pseuds/allyndra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a lot left unsaid as Ryan prepares to leave for Juilliard (prompted by fools_game)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Autumn Regrets

"Come on, man. We're getting some fresh air," Chad insisted, tugging on Ryan's sleeve.

"But I have to," Ryan made a fluttering gesture at the mound of luggage lurking near his closet.

Chad shook his head. "It's done. It's packed. You need to leave it alone now, I swear, or you're going to mess something up and get to New York without your toothbrush." Ryan opened his mouth to protest, and Chad added, "Or your lucky hat."

Ryan closed his mouth with a snap. "Fine. Fresh air, let's go."

Chad towed Ryan out of the house and into his car. He didn't actually have anywhere in mind (other than "away from Ryan's insanity"), so he ended up just driving them over to Nob Hill and parking. He shoved at Ryan's shoulder until Ryan stopped texting his sister or his travel agent or whomever and got out of the car to walk with Chad.

The sidewalks weren't busy yet, with school still out, but there were people around. It made it harder, because Ryan kept getting distracted by a passing conversation or the bad fashion sense of a person across the street. Chad took a deep breath and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"You always know it's going to be fall when you smell the chiles," Chad said awkwardly, looking down at the sidewalk. The smell hung in the air, so heavy he could almost feel it winding around them, coming from the roaster in front of the co-op.

Ryan pulled his attention away from a painting he was staring at in a gallery window. "Yeah," he said with a quick smile. "They don't have that in New York. I'll just have to make do with the weather letting me know it's fall." He said 'weather' like it was some foreign thing, and Chad chuckled, even though it was such a cliché that it wasn't actually funny.

"You'll miss it," Chad predicted.

Ryan's eyes went soft and distant for a moment, and he nodded. "Maybe."

"Are you going to miss anything else?" Chad hated the way his voice sounded plaintive. He was lame, he was so lame. Ryan didn't seem to notice.

"Well, I'll miss my family. And even if Boi is technically Shar's, I take care of him just as much. It's going to be really weird to not have him around." He met Chad's eyes and grinned. Light, sparkling. Not even wistful. "And I'll miss your whole pack of ruffians."

"Well, you know. The ruffians are going to miss you, too."

"They better." Ryan ran a finger along the brim of his hat. "I mean, I'm hard to replace."

Chad hands were fists in his pockets. "Yeah, you sure are," he said softly.

Ryan started talking about his class schedule for the semester, his face bright with anticipation. Chad nodded in the right places, but he wasn't thinking about dance classes or performances. His mind was tangled in the words he'd never said, with touches he'd never risked. He looked at Ryan, babbling excited plans in front of a display window full of turquoise, his face shadowed by his hat but his hands flashing in the sun as he waved them for emphasis.

Ryan was leaving tomorrow. It was too late.


End file.
